Lightning Blue 5.0 Project

Haven't figured out how to change the thread title yet, but halfway through September some numbskull that was texting and driving hit me while I was sitting at a red light hard enough to push my car forward a few feet and into the trailer hitch of a truck, totaling it out. I took what I could off the car (rear shocks, exhaust, some interior bits and pieces) and went and picked up a lightning blue 17 GT PP 400a, just like my 15, but with nav OTD for 33.5. I test drove an M240i, SS Camaro (had to try it out haha), an a 440i with all the M options just for shits and giggles. I honestly liked my mustang more than any of them so I went back with another one. I considered borrowing a car from my parents for a month or two until the 18's hit the lots, but I'm not a fan of the front end, just personal preference, and to option one out the way i'd want would be 48k. That 15k difference in the 17's price swayed me, as it was only 1-2 more than low mile used 15's.


Parts List

Suspension:
Steeda Ultralite Linear Springs
Steeda 1/4" Rear Spring Spacers
Steeda Proaction Fixed Shocks
Steeda Billet Rear Shock Mounts
Steeda Adjustable Bumpstops
Steeda IRS Braces
Steeda Bushing Support Inserts
Steeda Alignment Pins
Steeda Jacking Rails
Steeda 2 point GTrac Brace
Ford GT350R F/R Sway Bars

Interesting bit is I had the BMR CB005 on the red car, and the steeda kit rides so much better and is much less harsh over bumps, while being just as stiff and planted feeling. I'm really happy with the switch.

Engine/Exhaust:
Steeda CAI
PBD Tune
Full ARH Exhaust, catted

Cosmetic:
Steeda Q-Series Spoiler painted Lightning Blue (Got a great deal from N4SM on this one!)
Project 6GR hyper Silver 19x10 Square
Conti EC Sport 275/40r19 square

Interior:
Anarchy Motive Shift Knob
Steeda Billet Reverse Collar
GT350 Steering Wheel

So here's how it sits as of now:





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Nice color and choice of mods.

I went to install the RPI Designs splash guards today since I'll be going with new wheels with the offsets pushing them further out than stock, and I'm trying to minimize rock chips.

Even though they say they're redesigned I'd highly recommend NOT buying these. The factory push clips for the fender liner are NOT long enough to go through the mud flap and securely click back in place in the fender. It just doesn't work. They come right back out. Looks like I'm going to break down and buy the insanely overpriced American muscle design, or try and make a template for my own.

I got my wheels in on Friday and put on Saturday. Ended up getting 275/40r19 Michelin PSS with Kaufman's being lower than I could find anywhere else and running a 160 off a set of tires promotion.

The wheels are MRR GF9's in Liquid Silver Gloss and are 19x9.5 +30. They sit absolutely perfect! I'd urge everyone to get in contact with paul [MENTION=11685]Need4SpeedMotors[/MENTION] for a set of wheels. Great customer service, and put up with all my questions haha.

Looking good. You thinking of doing any custom paint to the engine area?

I'd like to get the coil covers and the intake cover painted to match , but it's hard for me to justify the cost since i've popped the hood a grand total of like 5 times haha. I'll do it eventually though.

Chad11491 said:

I'd like to get the coil covers and the intake cover painted to match , but it's hard for me to justify the cost since i've popped the hood a grand total of like 5 times haha. I'll do it eventually though.

Click to expand...

I heard ya. Its hard to justify the cost. But I think Ruby Red coil covers and engine cover would look awesome. I'm looking into it now. JLT has good stuff.

[MENTION=19664]Chad11491[/MENTION] looking good brotha.

So i decided to buy into the Adam's mystery box. Came out with a full set of their new microfibers, the microfiber cleaning solution, carpet cleaner, and brilliant glaze. I never would have bought such expensive microfibers on my own honestly (i buy the CG's yellow ones on sale for when you can get 6 or so for like 10 bucks occasionally) but these blow them away in quality. The brilliant glaze added a ton of depth and shine to the color, and really brought out the red. You're supposed to wax the car on top of the glaze I think, but it was 90 something degrees at 8 in the morning already, so I called it a day. It looked great, and i think it would turn out even better with a coat of wax on top. Now to just find what will remove those wax stains on the black trim.....

got a new shift boot and parking brake boot installed at JPM Coachworks today. These guys are taking orders until Friday, so if you want one i'd hurry and order one. The quality is exceptional. Joe is an awesome guy and went out of his way to help me out. I've had their parts on my brz as well, and i figured i'd like to meet the guy behind the parts. Well worth fighting Atlanta traffic to get over there. Plus the place is next to a cookie shop so it smells like chocolate chip cookies all outside hahaha.

20160927-DSC01511 by Chad Williamson, on Flickr

20160927-DSC01512 by Chad Williamson, on Flickr

20160927-DSC01517 by Chad Williamson, on Flickr

20160927-DSC01523 by Chad Williamson, on Flickr

That's looking mean Chad!! Congrats!

So a good bit has happened with the car the last few months. I picked up Steeda fixed shocks and struts on black friday for an incredible deal. Got those thrown on last month. This REALLY helps the car out. It's not night and day, but it's probably my 2nd favorite suspension mod at this point. It takes what I've done and finishes it off nicely. With the suspension mods already done the car was planted, controlled, and rode well, but was still bouncy and harsh over bumps. The Steeda shocks firmed it up a little bit in a GOOD way. It felt tighter and more "in control", but also more comfortable. The bumps are much less harsh and more of a shove than a smack now. The bounce is also gone. These really finished off the suspension. I honestly don't feel the need for sway bars at this point. In the mountains the car is very flat and controlled with very little body roll. Maybe if I get into tracking and autocross like I was with my BRZ i'd reconsider, but right now it's not needed.

I also put on the MMD matte spoiler that I had painted gloss black by Ford. If I had waited two weeks I could have just bought the pre-painted one haha :headbonk:, but such is life. The paint matches the tails perfect, so anyone looking at those and wants that, the regular black is the way to go.

here's a pic as the car currently sits. I got a light stick for christmas to play around with taking pictures, so this is the product of that! It was my first time using one. It took about an hour or so and we only really got one or two decent pics, but it was fun.


Also, I'm currently working with AED to tune the car. So far it's been great! Shaun is super responsive and quick to reply and sent out revisions. I datalogged the car stock, sent those in for his review, sent out a base tune, datalogged, and sent back in around 10 last night. Hopefully i'll get the dialed in tune today. Honestly, with the BASE tune used for datalogging the car feels MUCH more responsive. It idles and drives identical to stock, but there's much more tq down low and it just keeps pulling from there with a big surge from about 3500-redline. It honestly far exceeded my expectations from a mail order tune already. I can't wait to get the dialed in version loaded up!

More than anything, my favorite part of the tune is NO MORE REV HANG!!! Before, when stock if you were in a gear and shifting to the next, ie. 2->3, you could hold the clutch in and it would just hang and sit there at the right RPM for 3rd. You couldn't really skip shift, and it felt like my hand was being held by the ECU and it drove me nuts. Now it feels like every other manual car I've driven and just falls naturally with the clutch pushed in.

I love the ruby red, I really like how it changes in the lighting. Car looks awesome man.

I know I have already said this before, but damn your car looks sweet. Love the Ruby Red....if I didn't drive like I do, that would have been my color!

So last week I installed the Steeda Billet shock mounts. I felt my ride was harsh on bumps and a little bouncy still (ultralite linears and fixed steeda shocks). It rode very compliant and comfortable, just had a little bouncy and harshness over bumps in the rear.

After installing the billet mounts, which are SUPER easy to do, that is completely gone. No more bounce, it's MORE comfortable, and very compliant over surfaces. where it'd "crash" over bumps or road imperfections before, it just soaks them up. I'm really happy with that and really recommend anyone with a lowered car install those parts.


Also, I took some pics after work on Friday with my A6000 + Helios 44-2 lens. It's really great with swirly bokeh in the right conditions, but I realized i'd never used it with the car before. It's a 70-80's era lens if i'm not mistaken, but it's a USSR manufactured lens that can be had all over ebay for 50-60 bucks and it's just one of my favorite lenses i've found. It's kind of an oddball lens, and it's not the sharpest or the brightest lens, but I really like the character it has. I'm not going to pretend I know anything about photography or know fancy terms, I just like taking pictures haha. So here's the results!





I really like this one




I like how this one came out almost like a painting




and this one is a combination of the the picture completely stepped down and out of focus with the in focus picture. I forgot a tripod so I had to play around to get it to line up right, but I thought it looked cool.

20170421-DSC01942-merged by Chad Williamson, on Flickr